cataract surgery iol vs no lnes

[kayrow]

I am scheduled for cataract surgery in a few weeks. I am a 49 yr old female with severe myopia. I have no vision in my left eye due to detached retina back when i was 13 yrs old. I now a cataract in my right eye. I have been putting off surgery as long as possible, due to the increase risk of a retinal detachment after surgery. however, it has gotten to the point I cant see to do my work and it has become hard to the dr to see my retina clearly,which is vital for me.  I am a -22 . my opthamologist has told me i have the option or a replacement lens which will still requie some glasses or i can opt for no lens and will probobay be at a -2 which is bettert than i have ever seen in my life. She said if it were her eyes she would opt for the no lens.
Can you please tell me the risks/cons of having no lens Is it okay to not have a lens in my eye?
Thank you for your help.
Karen

[JodieJ]

Wow, that really is over the top.  It involves hard sell tactics utilizing distorted and/or blatantly false information.  I'd say run away (fast) from any practicing using the IOL Counselor.  It's interesting that those so-called "government issued implants which leave the patient with impaired vision" are made by the same manufacturers as ReZoom (AMO) and ReStor (Alcon).  Actually, the monofocal aspheric Tecnis IOL is probably AMO's best (and most profitable) lens.  

[vivian756]

Re multifocal lens implants--use your search engine to go to IOL Counselor, then onto the on-line Webinar for ophthalmologists.  The Webinar is conducted by Robert Watson, the inventor of the IOL Counselor. There are many references to how the IOL Counselor device closes the sale.  He states that in the past, doctors and staff weren't experienced in selling and closing the sale.  He states that the staff in the eye practice should refer to monofocal lens implants as "government issued implants which leaves the patient with impaired vision".  In my opinion, THIS IS OVER THE TOP. Nancy L.

[JodieJ]

Dr. Koch has been rated by his peers as being one of the best doctors in American for a number of years (www.castleconnolly.com).  He is a graduate of Harvard Medical School, and he did fellowships at Baylor College of Medicine and the Moorsfield Eye Hospital in London.  It sounds to me like you'd be in very good hands with him.

[kayrow]

Thank you so very much for you input, I have discussed this with my opthamologist and after her discussing my case with several other opthamoligists  I am now scheduled for a consult with Dr Dougas Koch, in Houston, TX. I hear he is a very reknowned and expericend surgeon. Can you tell me if you know anything about him. I have been told by several people that he is one of the best.

Thank you

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

Your  doctor may want contact warren hill in arizona, who is a lens power calculation expert.  Also, would make sure your measurement were done with an IOL MASTER.  Make sure your surgeon is very experienced in this type of situation.  Suggest you h ave a complete retinal evaluation with retinal specialist before surgery because of your much higher risk of retinal detachment.  Experience is very, very important in cases like this.  You don't want to be the surgeon's first or second or third case like this.

MJK MD

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

I have to be honest - I have never done cataract surgery in someone at this level of myopia.  My instinct would be to have a very low power lens placed in the capsule to give it support, especially in the future when you may need a yag capsulotomy.  I wish Dr. Hagan were available, I would like to get his opinion.  My question for your doctor is "wouldn't a low power implant in the capsule help to prevent vitreous prolapse in the future when you may need a yag capusulotomy and the implant will not really add a higher complication rate overall, will it?"

MJK MD